Divine Creek Ranch 23
How Cassie Got Her Grind Back
Cassie Villalobos promised Samson and Ivan Cutter on the day they graduated high school that she would pursue her dreams of becoming a singer-songwriter, no matter what.
Raised under the dictatorial thumb of her father, Cassie’s promise went unfulfilled. Newly single, her hands are full running her coffee shop, Divine Drip, dealing with her aging parents, and lothario ex-husband.
Samson and Ivan left Divine after graduation, never intending to return, but they’ve never forgotten their love for Cassie.
Banked embers flare between the three at their thirty year class reunion. Although she has friends in ménages, Cassie is intimidated by the desire of two men, believing she is past her prime and the men set out to change her mind.
Samson’s passion for sadism is balanced by Ivan’s easy affection, and Cassie finds the combination irresistible. Hope flares for fulfilling all her dreams while stirring the distorted illusions of someone obsessed with controlling her.
Genre: Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Western/Cowboys
Length: 113,269 words
HOW CASSIE GOT HER GRIND BACK
Divine Creek Ranch 23
Heather Rainier
MENAGE EVERLASTING
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting
HOW CASSIE GOT HER GRIND BACK
Copyright © 2016 by Heather Rainier
E-book ISBN: 978-1-68295-242-9
First E-book Publication: May 2016
Cover design by Harris Channing
All art and logo copyright © 2016 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Letter to Readers
Dear Readers,
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This is Heather Rainier’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Heather Rainier’s right to earn a living from her work.
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DEDICATION
This book is dedicated to every woman who has struggled with feeling past her prime or worried when she’s looked into the mirror. The “mirror image” relationship we have with ourselves is not what the people who know our hearts can see. Choose to show them the ageless beauty of your heart which has nothing to do with how many years you’ve been on the planet, and remember to have fun while you’re doing it. Here’s to our renaissance, ladies.
This book is also dedicated to every young woman reading it. Live your life with no regrets, listen to your body when it gives you warning signals, and take care of yourself first so you can care for others. Oh, and sunscreen. Use sunscreen.
And to my husband, who has loved me into a renaissance of our own.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Many hands go into creating a book that’s worthy of readers. Some of those hands have direct contact like my editors, publishing admins, cover artists, beta readers, and my personal assistant. My sincere thanks go to all of them. They make the series better than I ever could on my own.
Many hearts go into sharing this series with readers. My friends on Facebook and Twitter, subscribers to my blog, book lovers who have created groups and blogs that reach so many readers, reviewers who share their love for the series on book review websites and Amazon. Reader excitement is contagious, and my heart is filled with thanks for those who talk about the series with their friends and convince them to give the Divine Creek Ranch Collection a try. And special thanks to my street team, the Divine Divas and their admins, for promoting my writing.
Many hours goes into writing these stories, which sometimes means missed family time, missed ball games, and…well…dealing with a wife and mom who is quite honestly an absentminded daydreamer a good portion of the time. My husband and teenaged daughter and son have been patient in keeping me grounded, but my kids have also grown up watching a mom who strives for her dreams.
Morgan Ashbury/Cara Covington graciously allowed her Lusty, Texas series matriarch Grandma Kate Benedict come to Divine in How Cassie Got Her Grind Back. Grandma Kate has an ageless quality that adds so much to Cassie’s story, plus she’s a delightful little troublemaker when the situation calls for it. My everlasting thanks also go out to Morgan personally. Without her encouragement and friendship this journey would’ve been a much lonelier one.
Thank you to Juliet. You made me laugh when I often wanted to cry.
And thanks to my publisher for believing in me and encouraging me to trust my instincts.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
&n
bsp; Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Epilogue
About the Author
Cast of Main Characters in Book Reading Order
HOW CASSIE GOT HER GRIND BACK
Divine Creek Ranch 23
HEATHER RAINIER
Copyright © 2016
Prologue
May, 1986
“Cassandra Villalobos.”
The warm breeze blowing across the sun-soaked football field made the tassel dangling from Samson Cutter’s graduation cap tickle against his cheek and chin. Swiping it away impatiently, he craned his head to watch as Cassandra paced to the center of the stage and received her diploma from Divine’s school district superintendent with a congratulatory handshake.
Samson ignored the murmuring behind him, as well as the sight of two administrators whispering behind their hands on stage as they looked at Cassandra and then at him and his brother. He was used to it, and saying anything only seemed to make the situation worse. Divine would likely never forgive and forget what her mother had done and what his father had tried to help her cover up.
Samson saw her biting her lip as she made her way down the steps from the outdoor stage and knew she was uncomfortable with having so many eyes on her. They locked gazes when she scanned the crowd of seniors. Her smile widened and her eyes danced as he and his twin, Ivan, both gave loud celebratory whistles, despite their class having been warned beforehand by the high school principal to demonstrate restraint as the names were called.
His heart pounded with each step that brought them closer to the end of this chapter in their lives, not because he got the girl but because he had to somehow let her go. As she walked past his row, he forced himself to face forward as the final names were called and the principal made her closing remarks.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the Class of 1986! Congratulations, graduates!”
Thunderous applause rolled from the stands where Cassie had shouted Samson and his brother on to victory in more football games than he could recall. In response to the cheering cue, the class rose as one and threw their caps high in the air.
In the chaos of scattering bodies, he craned his neck once again, looking for her.
Still beside him, Ivan was doing the same as he unzipped the front of the red gown, revealing his blue jeans, cowboy boots, and white dress shirt and tie underneath. “Do you see her? Wonder which way she went. She wouldn’t leave so fast, would she?”
Samson shook his head. Nothing about this day was ending the way he would’ve liked it to, but he knew enough about her to be certain she wouldn’t just up and leave as soon as it was over. “No, she’s here somewhere.”
Moments later, Cassie practically tackled him from behind. “I found you,” she gasped and then giggled as she brushed the tassel from her lips. Samson wasn’t surprised to see she’d retained her cap, not enough of a free spirit to throw the damned thing in the air thanks to her dad and the men in her family.
“I’d never leave without seeing you first, chiquita,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her. She was so gorgeous she took his breath away.
She sniffled, and when he pulled away, he saw the sheen in her eyes forming. “I will miss being called chiquita.” She quickly swiped the tears while he tried to gather his churning thoughts and clear the lump in his throat. Cassie congratulated and hugged Ivan and then kissed his brother’s cheek before turning back to him, her diploma in its thin bookbinder clasped to her chest.
Damn it! Why does it have to be like this?
Letting instinct rule, he gently took her upper arms, not caring if her father was in sight or not, and kissed her full on the mouth, luxuriating in her soft, warm lips, her clean scent, and the delicious essence of her once more, and possibly for the last time. The dull pain in his chest sharpened and spread downward to the heavy ache at his groin as she moaned quietly against his lips and tightened her arms around his neck. Ivan stood by, calling some reply to a passerby but staying right with them.
When Samson released her, the tears welled from her eyes as she whispered, “That felt too much like goodbye.”
He regarded her hands as he clasped them, smiling at the calluses on the tips of her fingers from playing her guitar so much. He blinked the mistiness in his own eyes away before he looked up into her sweet brown gaze. “I know your family is probably out of the stands and looking for you by now, Cassie, but will you promise me something?”
“Sure,” she said in a rough voice as she glanced at his brother and then at him. “Anything.”
He and his brother closed their arms around the girl he loved who had also been their closest friend as she struggled with her emotions, shielding her from the whispering passersby. He wanted so much to give her a reason for the hope shimmering in her eyes, but he couldn’t, not where he was headed. He didn’t know where he’d end up after basic training or whether she could even come with him. That was no way to start a life together. Besides, she had big dreams, and the talent to bring them to life.
As if to remind him of what he needed to say, he glanced up and spotted two adults, parents of one of their classmates, both of whom were prominent members of the volunteer fire department. There wasn’t animosity in their eyes, but the judgment there was sufficient to remind him time was short.
“Promise me you’ll get out of this damn town, with all of its small-minded people and its gossip mill. Go chase your dreams with all your heart and make me proud. Make us both proud.”
Her eyes flared as she looked in the distance around his shoulder and he knew her family had spotted her when she moved toward his center and looked up at him. “I promise I will. I’m going to miss you so much.” Her voice broke on the last syllable, and the pain in his gut increased as if he’d been sucker-punched.
Cupping her cheeks with his palms, he said, “I believe in you. I’m gonna see you on stage some day and say I knew you before you were famous. Go for it. Go for all of it. Show this damned town what you’re made of.”
She firmed her lips and tightened her grasp on his forearms for a moment and then nodded. “I’ll do my best. Please be careful, both of you, in basic training…and wherever they send you.” She grabbed hold of Ivan’s forearm with one hand. “Please?”
“We promise, Cassie,” Ivan replied for both of them after glancing at Samson. His eyes were bloodshot, and the emotional struggle was audible in his roughened voice. “We can’t wait to see your name on a marquee. You be careful in the big city. Don’t let them swallow you whole.”
Cassie gave a watery chuckle, having heard that admonition almost daily since her acceptance letter to Berklee College of Music in Boston had arrived. “I promise.”
“Cassie!” the firm voice shouted, anger evident in its strident tone.
Samson didn’t turn to look. Normally he paid Mr. Villalobos all due respect but not today.
He pretended to not hear as he drank her in one last time. “I’ll never, ever forget you, chiquita. Smile for me?”
Her lips trembled, but she did her best and nodded. “Samson, I—I lo—”
“Cassie!” her father shouted from mere feet away, putting a stop to a declaration Samson wasn’t sure she should make with their parting so imminent, a parting that was tearing out his heart because it was likely permanent. Once the world got to hear her gift, she’d surely skyrocket to fame and unattainability.
I love you, too, Cassandra.
She panted and then cleared her throat and whispered, “I won’t ever forget you, not as long as I live. Please, be safe, both of you.”
Ivan gave her a small nod and blew her a tiny kiss, despite probably being seen by her dad.
To hell with him.
Samson kissed her one last time, drank her in one last time, and then steadied her on her feet when her knees went wobbly. When she took a deep breath and patted his arm, he
walked away without acknowledging her father or her family. They’d done too much already, and he wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of ruining the moment with a confrontation.
Of course his feet disagreed with his resolve and failed him just a few steps away from her.
“She has her dreams, and you need to let her chase them, man,” Ivan muttered, his voice deep and gravelly with emotion, while tightening his grip on Samson’s shoulder to keep them both moving ahead. “Who knows, maybe you’ll see her again someday. Keep walking. You don’t want her dad giving her a hard time because you’re hanging around. He’ll pay you back through her.” With every step he took, the ache grew sharper, but Ivan kept them moving. “That’s it, buddy. It’s gonna be okay.”
But nothing was okay and wouldn’t be. Not for a long time. Like an amputee suffering with the pain of a phantom limb, Cassie stayed in his heart in the coming weeks and months, passing into years. And although time could heal old wounds, every veteran, every survivor had scars.
Chapter One
Present day…
Samson Cutter hated seeing a woman cry unless he’d been the one to give rise to her tears and only if that catharsis was what she needed. Watching the woman his best friend was in love with as she cried for the loss of her grandmother wasn’t enjoyable in the least. Bunny’s grandmother had passed away just days before after suffering from a stroke, and now Bunny and her brother stood at the casket saying their good-byes before the funeral home director closed it for the last time.
How Cassie Got Her Grind Back [Divine Creek Ranch 23] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 1
